United News of Bangladesh

At least 10 people were injured as residents of two villages clashed over a dispute stemming from a football match in Shibganj upazila on Thursday evening. Among the injured, two people — van driver Kawsar and Naim — were receiving treatment at Shibganj Upazila Health Complex. The clash broke out around 7:30pm in the Binodpur Khaserhat Bazar area, with two cocktail bombs exploding during the confrontation. The dispute reportedly began on Wednesday when two players got into a scuffle after colliding during a football match at Ismail Memorial High School ground in Kaliganj Bazar. The same dispute led to a young man being beaten at Eradatola Bazar on Thursday morning, locals said. Later in the evening, residents of Chandshikari village clashed with people from Eradatola and Pankatola villages, triggering the violence. Shibganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Motiur Rahman said cocktails were exploded during the incident. “Several people were injured in the clash. The situation is now under control,” he said. Legal action will be taken after assessing the situation, the OC added.

A court on Thursday sent Babul Mia, the prime suspect in the killing of three members of a family in Sylhet city’s Raynagar area, to jail. Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khan Md Mainul Zakir confirmed the development in the evening. Police said their investigation found that the triple murder stemmed from a personal dispute between Babul and the family’s domestic worker, Tahmina. Babul was arrested Wednesday afternoon from a colony in the Rajbari area of Raynagar. During preliminary questioning, Babul reportedly admitted that he entered Nikunja Villa, a house in Mitali Residential Area, on Wednesday morning and got into an altercation with Tahmina. At one point, Babul allegedly stabbed Tahmina with a knife. When elderly couple Abdus Sattar and Suraiya Begum came forward to save her, he allegedly attacked and killed them as well, police said. Based on information provided by Babul, police recovered the bloodstained knife allegedly used in the killings on Thursday morning. Abdus Sattar was a former director of the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a local Awami League leader. All four of the couple’s children — three daughters and a son — live abroad. Two daughters arrived in Sylhet from the United Kingdom on Thursday afternoon and received their parents’ bodies from Osmani Medical College Hospital. Their son Arif Iftekhar, who lives in the United States, is expected to arrive in Bangladesh on Friday. A case will be filed after his arrival, according to the family. Police security has been tightened around the house following the killings.

Two businesses were fined Tk 10,000 in total during a consumer rights monitoring drive in Feni city on Thursday for selling unauthorised fake Indian basmati rice and charging customers more than displayed prices. The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection conducted the drive at different kitchen markets in the city to monitor prices of essential commodities. Assistant Director of the Feni district office Md Asadul Islam led the drive in the afternoon. “Messrs Abul Khayer Traders” was fined Tk 5,000 for selling rice at prices higher than those displayed on its price list. Another Tk 5,000 fine was imposed on “Messrs Salam Store” for selling unauthorised and counterfeit Indian basmati rice. Officials also inspected stocks, supply and purchase and sales receipts of essential commodities, including eggs, green chillies and vegetables, at different markets to help keep prices stable. Assistant Director Asadul Islam said traders would not be allowed to engage in unfair practices in the essential commodities market. The consumer rights authority will continue monitoring markets in the public interest and to help control commodity prices, he added. A team of the district battalion Ansar provided security and assistance during the drive. Awareness leaflets were also distributed among buyers and sellers at the markets.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested five people for their alleged involvement in an organised racket operating online betting and gambling websites in Narsingdi. A special team of the Cyber Investigation and Operations Unit of CID’s Cyber Police Centre conducted raids in different parts of Narsingdi from Tuesday evening to Wednesday and arrested them, said a CID press release on Thursday. The arrestees are Rafiqul Islam, 46; Md Sohel, 37; Md Shafiqul Islam, 27; Md Rubel Mollaya, 33; and Ayub Hossain Ripon, 48. All are residents of Narsingdi. Rafiqul was arrested from the Railgate College Market area under Raipura Police Station, Sohel from the Moulvi Bari area of Noaadia village under Monohardi Police Station, and Shafiqul and Rubel from the Raju Tower area in front of Monohardi Police Station. Ayub was arrested from the Noyadarakandia area under Monohardi Police Station. CID said it seized nine mobile phones, 20 SIM cards, cheque books of different banks and other important evidence from their possession. According to the case statement, CID’s Cyber Police Centre detected during cyber monitoring that an organised group, with members operating both inside and outside Bangladesh, had been running online betting and gambling websites under different names for a long time. The websites allegedly facilitated betting on international cricket, football and other sporting events in exchange for money. The group also promoted and advertised the gambling platforms through social media and other online platforms, CID said. The investigation found that users of the betting sites were required to make top-ups or deposits to participate in online gambling. The sites instructed users to deposit money through mobile financial services such as bKash, Nagad, Rocket and Upay, as well as bank accounts and cryptocurrency. After deposits were made, equivalent amounts of e-money or “bot money” were reportedly credited to users’ betting accounts for use in gambling. CID said the group used MFS agent numbers and bank accounts to facilitate deposits and withdrawals, frequently changing the numbers and accounts. The group allegedly recruited agents in different parts of the country to collect MFS numbers and bank account details and then supplied the information to betting website operators through Telegram and other communication platforms. According to the preliminary investigation, money collected through illegal electronic transactions was pooled by agents, who retained commissions before transferring the remaining funds through bank accounts and converting them into cryptocurrency for possible transfer abroad. CID filed a case with Paltan Model Police Station under Sections 20(2), 21(2), 24(2) and 27(2) of the Cyber Security Act 2026.

Five police members of Shahrashti Model Police Station in Chandpur have been temporarily suspended over allegations of involvement in drug-related activities. Chandpur Superintendent of Police Md Mizanur Rahman issued an office order on Tuesday suspending them. The suspended members are Sub-Inspector Arif Hossain, Assistant Sub-Inspector Shahidullah, Constable Sharif Uddin, driver Nazrul Islam and Constable Ishtiaq. On July 28, locals detained alleged drug trader Mizanur Rahman at Aynatali Bazar in the upazila. His mobile phone reportedly contained information, including conversations and financial transactions involving police members. The issue sparked widespread discussion and criticism. Following an investigation ordered by the police superintendent, a preliminary inquiry found the allegations against the five police members to be true. Additional Superintendent of Police Md Lutfur Rahman and Assistant Superintendent of Police A. Hai Chowdhury told UNB that the five were suspended after the preliminary investigation substantiated the allegations. Lutfur Rahman said departmental action would be taken against them if the allegations are established in the final investigation.

A suspected member of a robbery gang was shot and injured in a gunfight with Detective Branch (DB) police in Aftabnagar under Badda Police Station on Thursday night. The injured man was identified as Md SM Ariful Islam Pavel, 30. He is from Bakerganj village in Gafargaon upazila of Mymensingh. He had been living in the Goran area of Khilgaon in Dhaka. The incident occurred around 8:45pm in the East & Housing area of Sector 5, M-Block, Aftabnagar. Gulshan DB Inspector Anwar, who was involved in the operation, said police launched a drive around 8:30pm after receiving information that an armed gang was preparing to commit a robbery in the area. Sensing the presence of DB police, Pavel allegedly pulled out a pistol and attempted to fire at the officers. In self-defence, police fired one round from a shotgun, hitting him below the right knee, the officer said. Police then arrested Pavel and recovered a pistol and three rounds of ammunition from his possession. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s emergency department around 10pm and is currently receiving treatment. Legal action, including filing a case with Badda Police Station, is underway.

Bangladesh and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) on Thursday underscored the need for concerted efforts to diversify and expand trade and investment flows, recognising that the existing level of bilateral trade remains below its considerable potential. Both sides also agreed to encourage greater business-to-business engagement, including exchanges between the respective national apex chambers of commerce and industry. Lao PDR expressed particular interest to deepen cooperation on pharmaceuticals and agricultural products of Bangladesh. The issues were discussed at the first-ever Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in Vientiane, marking a significant milestone in the 38-year-old diplomatic relationship established in 1988.

Allegations of politicization and nepotism have surfaced over the recruitment of supervisors and data collectors for the Family Card census in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur. Locals alleged that the wife of a local BNP leader, the upazila Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) president and relatives of BNP leaders and activists were given preference despite assurances that recruitment would be based on merit. The issue has also drawn criticism on social media. According to the Mithapukur Upazila Social Services Office, a notice was issued on July 25 for recruiting supervisors and data collectors in 17 unions. A total of 670 people applied for supervisor posts and around 3,243 for data collector positions. The selection was supposed to be based on practical skills, GPA, conduct and viva performance. The final results, published on Aug. 10, selected 214 data collectors and 21 supervisors. An investigation found that Tajmun Nahar, wife of Mithapukur upazila BNP Organizing Secretary Mojahidul Islam, was selected as supervisor in Ranipukur Union. Upazila JCD President Md Mahmudul Hasan was selected in Durgapur Union, while Md Miraj Ahmed, cousin of upazila BNP President Golam Rabbani, was selected in Bara Hazratpur Union. Other supervisors included journalist Bablur Rahman Bari in Kafrikhal Union; Rezwana Sharmin Prapti, daughter of Pairaband Union BNP President Abdur Rouf Sarker; Sumaiya Khatun, sister of anti-discrimination student movement leader Awlad; and Mojahidul Haque, former vice-president of the Rangpur metropolitan unit of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League, in Chengmari and Bhangni unions respectively. Several people linked to BNP and JCD were also selected as data collectors. They included Rangpur district JCD member Shafiul Islam Shimul and Fahmida Akter Mim, Mehedi Hasan Fuad and Fahima Akter Lima, nephew and niece of BNP leader Golam Rabbani. Nine people from Chithli Dakshinpara village alone were selected. Other selected data collectors included Nowrin Jahan Nizum, daughter of BNP leader Hazrat Ali; two nieces and a sister of Nilphamari Water Development Board office assistant Shafiqul Islam; and Alpana Begum, wife of an office assistant at the UNO’s office. Mahmudul Hasan denied political considerations, saying he was selected on merit. Shafiul Islam Shimul also said he qualified on merit and denied that Fahmida Akter Mim was his girlfriend, calling the allegation baseless. Golam Rabbani denied recommending relatives, saying Chithli Dakshinpara is a large, densely populated village and that the administration made the selections entirely on merit. Ordinary applicants alleged that they were deceived by assurances of merit-based recruitment and that the process was politicized. Abdul Hakim, member secretary of the selection committee and Upazila Social Services Officer, said the results were based entirely on merit. He said 34 officials conducted viva examinations through 17 boards. Attempts to contact UNO Md Parvez for comment were unsuccessful. He also did not respond to a WhatsApp message. Rangpur-5 MP Gholam Rabbani said the UNO had assured him that recruitment would be based entirely on merit. “I have heard that 11 people from a single village were selected. I will speak directly with the UNO to find out what happened,” he said.

Power distribution authorities in Kushtia have requested the Superintendent of Police (SP) to bolster security at key electrical installations, citing fears of sabotage and public unrest due to severe load shedding. The West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCO) and Kushtia Palli Bidyut Samity sent separate letters to the SP office on Monday and Tuesday . Additional SP (Crime and Ops) Faisal Mahmud confirmed the receipt of the letters on Thursday morning, noting that copies were also sent to the District Commissioner and other relevant departments. In its letter, WZPDCO expressed concern that the power production shortage—affecting the entire country—has created significant public discontent. The authority warned that "vested quarters" might exploit the situation to carry out sabotage at Key Point Installations (KPI) and other critical electrical sites. Amzad Hossain, Executive Engineer of WZPDCO Kushtia, emphasized that increased police deployment is necessary to ensure safety and maintain uninterrupted service. Meanwhile, the letter from Jahangir Alam, General Manager (Additional Charge) of Kushtia Palli Bidyut Samity, highlighted a nationwide production deficit of approximately 3,500 MW. This shortage has led to intense load shedding in Palli Bidyut areas, severely impacting students, farmers, businesses, and industrial units. The authority warned that the disruption of official activities and daily life is fueling public anger. Additional SP Faisal Mahmud stated that law enforcement and intelligence agencies have already been alerted to increase surveillance around these vital installations. "Police regularly monitor important facilities for security reasons, and we have now instructed increased vigilance to prevent any untoward incidents," he added. 

The government has withdrawn Trishal Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Arafat Siddiqui following an alleged assault on an employee of a sand quarry leaseholder. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on Thursday, attaching the UNO to the ministry. The move comes a day after Arafat Siddiqui allegedly assaulted the sand quarry leaseholder’s employee on Wednesday, with CCTV footage of the incident going viral on social media. The roughly one-minute footage appears to show the UNO slapping a man several times and hitting him with a stick. Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md Mahbubur Rahman and members of law enforcement agencies were also present at the scene. According to the leaseholder, the incident took place around 1:59pm on Wednesday at a sand sales point in the Kulurbaria area of Kalirbazar under Kanthal union of the upazila. The leaseholder claimed that its employee Sarwar Jahan alias Bachchu was assaulted after he asked the officials who arrived to conduct an operation to identify themselves, leading to an altercation. The CCTV footage shows a team, led by the UNO, accompanied by members of Ansar and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), arriving at the sand sales point. The UNO is seen asking for documents, while Sarwar Jahan, manager of Srishti Enterprise, asked the visiting officials to identify themselves. At one point, the UNO allegedly slapped Sarwar several times. A RAB member then appeared to try to take away Sarwar from the scene. The UNO allegedly took a stick from the RAB member and hit Sarwar several times with it. Mahbubur Rahman is seen trying to stop the UNO.